Canadian Dead
by TempestJo
Summary: B&B head off to a small town in Northern Canada to solve a cross-border mystery..
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I was looking through some old stories and found this, and as I hadn't posted it here, here you go! Plus, I am from Canada, so this story is pretty representational, though skewed with some stereotypes, because I'm Canadian, so I can! *wink***

"So, where are we going again?" Brennan asked, dropping her suitcase down beside Booth's duffel bag on the airport floor.

He was studying his phone, texting someone.

She nudged him, and his head shot up. "Oh, there you are Bones. About time." He checked his watch. "We've got about five minutes before our flight boards." He glanced down at her suitcase and groaned. "What do you have in there? Everything?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Well, you didn't tell me where we're going, so I had to pack for all weather conditions."

His phone beeped at him, and he read the text with a smile. "We're going to Canada, Bones."

"Canada? What on earth are we going to do there? It's not FBI jurisdiction!"

Booth was busy texting, his tongue poking out of his mouth as he concentrated.

"And who are you talking to anyways?"

"Parker."

"Parker has a cell phone?"

"He got ahold of Rebecca's and she doesn't know it yet. He's hiding under his bed."

Brennan read the text and smiled. "He's gonna be in trouble."

"Tell me about it," Booth grinned, "Rebecca's plan doesn't cover texting."

"You shouldn't look so happy." Brennan cautioned.

"Why not?"

"Since he's texting YOU she might try and make you pay."

Booth's grin got wider. "She can't, it's a federal phone. I'll sic Caroline on her."

Brennan grinned. "Can I watch?"

"I think I'll sell tickets. How many people can we fit into the observation room?"

CH

"Why are we going to Canada?" Brennan asked again.

"They found some dead people."

"And?"

"ID says they are American. And since you are lisensed to work in Canada as well..."

The bording call for their flight came over the PA, and everyone around them stood up and started bustling around.

"That explains me." Brennan said. "What about you?"

"As a valuable asset to the FBI crime fighting organization, you have been alloted a personal bodyguard." Booth said, picking up his bag and joining the line.

"You?" Brennan guessed.

"Yup."

"Am I in danger?"

"From what?"

She blinked at him. "Why do I need a bodyguard?"

"To keep the Canadians from trying to steal you." Booth deadpanned.

Her face lit up. "Really?"

"No." Booth shook his head. "But it sounds good doesn't it?"

She pinched his arm roughly and he jumped.

"Ouch!"

"Why are you here Booth?"

He rubbed his arm where she had pinched him. "I begged. I need a vacation and I have no vacation time left. I managed to convince the powers that be that you need me there to be liasion with the Canadian officials and to protect you. This is as much of a holiday as I'm gonna get."

Brennan thought for a minute. "So you're my entourage."

"What?"

"My people." She looked pleased at the thought.

He rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like I'm a groupie."

She smiled. "That too."

"Just so long as I get to see a hockey game." he groused, shaking his head. "Are you going to be a pain in the butt about this?"

She grinned. "Definately."

CH

Booth sighed and stared out the window. Nothing but snow, as far as the eye could see. The road was lined on both sides by windrows of snow, pushed there by the plow trucks, and the wind kept gusting shimmers of snow off the top and into the road.

"Get a lot of snow this year?" He asked the man driving the big white SUV.

"Nope." Was the reply. "Almost never have good driving conditions like this either."

"You call this good?" Booth asked in alarm. Because of the blowing snow he couldn't see more than a mile up the road ahead.

"Yeah, if it's snowing bad then you can't see your own headlights. If it's sunny you can't see anything period."

"Snow blindness." Brennan chipped in front the back seat where she was looking at a map of the area.

"Yeah." The Mountie looked in the rearview mirror at her and smiled. "You've been here before?"

"Well, not here, but Canada yes."

"Where exactly are we going?" Booth asked.

The Mountie pointed up the road. "Right there on the left."

Booth leaned forward and squinted. He could just make out a slash in the windrow. "Is that a driveway?"

The Mountie looked at him funny. "What else would it be?"

"I don't know. It looks like a rabbit tunnel."

The Mountie smiled. "Don't worry, I've got four wheel drive. Old Amos doesn't plow his driveway out much, maybe once every couple days."

They turned up the driveway and suddenly there was a clearing in front of them, with a large garage and a ranch style house. A big black and white dog appeared in the middle of the yard, barking happily.

A man in a plaid shirt came out of the house and stood on the steps, his arms crossed, watching them as they parked and got out of the SUV.

"Johnny. Who've you got here?" He asked.

"This is Dr. Brennan, she's going to look at those bodies, and her partner Agent Booth." The Mountie replied. He turned to them. "This is Amos O'Conner, he owns this property."

Amos was staring at Booth's gun. "What's that?"

"A gun."

"Obviously dumbss. A useless one."

The Mountie rolled his eyes. "Amos..."

"It is." Amos grinned. "Any one of my guns is better than that lil' peashooter."

"It's not the size of the gun that matters." Booth said through his teeth.

"Up here it is. You gonna use that to shoot down a moose, or an elk? Not likely. A grizzly bear? Not unless he's got his teeth in your neck. Range on that thing is pitiful."

"I don't use it to shoot wildlife. I leave that gun at home." Booth smiled suddenly, and the farmer's eyes lit up.

"Yeah? Whatcha got? 30-06?"

"Tac-Ops Alpha 66."

The farmer smiled. "Nice. Good range on that."

"Very."

"Wanna beer?"

Brennan cleared her throat. "I'd like to see the remains please."

"They arn't going anywhere." Amos replied. "But sure. I put them in the garage."

"You moved the remains?" Brennan squeaked.

"I didn't touch them if thats what you're worried about." He stepped off the porch and started walking towards the garage. "High strung, isn't she?"

Booth bit his lip to keep from laughing at Brennan's outraged look.

He felt more relaxed already...

CH

Amos pushed the garage door open and flicked on the lights. An orangish glow filled the room, accompanied by a faint buzzing noise.

"What's that noise?" Booth asked, looking around.

"Florescent lights." Amos grumbled. "They'll settle down in a minute. I've had the heat turned off in here to keep the dead from defrosting, thats a smell that clings."

John nodded in agreement. "Worse than skunk."

Brennan just stared. The garage was a large one, made for housing a 18 wheeler, with a high ceiling and cement floors. Shelves lined both sides, filled with tools and grease tubes, jugs of oil and hydrolic fluid, and dirty rags. An old 18 wheeler sat on one side, and a four-door Jeep Wrangler sat on the other, with it's hood crumpled and engine showing.

"Where are the remains?" She asked.

Amos and John pointed at the Jeep.

"That ain't my vehicle." Amos declared. "I only buy Chevy's."

Booth walked over and peered in the frosted windows. "I don't see them."

"In the back."

Booth frowned and tryed to open the cargo door. "Locked?"

"Frozen." John answered.

"Why are they in the back?" Brennan asked, feeling they were all being very unprofessional.

"They were there when I found them." Amos replied with a sigh. "We had a blizzard go through on the weekend, and when I was plowing out I found the vehicle."

"Up here, in bad weather, sometimes vehicles skid or drive into the snowbank and get stuck. We try to check the roads every couple hours, cause we don't want people freezing to death when there is a house just up the road, you know?"

Brennan nodded. "Why am I here if they froze to death?"

"They didn't." Amos said. "I'm not sure what happened to the driver of this thing, but the two in the back were dead a lot longer than this weekend chicky." He shrugged and reached in his pocket for a ciggarette. "I figure he crashed into the snow bank and got out and started walkin. Probably only crashed because he couldn't handle the smell anymore. It wasn't that cold out."

"How cold?" Booth questioned.

"Minus 20, maybe minus 25." Amos said through a cloud of blue smoke.

"Windchill though, maybe minus 30 with that." John added. "We've questioned all the residents in the area, but nothing's turned up so far."

Brennan glared at Amos. "You are contaminating my remains. Put that out."

He sighed and crushed the ciggarette to his heel, carefully putting it back in his pocket to finish later.

"You got a crowbar in this mess somewhere?" John asked Amos, who pointed at a set hanging above the shelf.

"Help yourself."

John grabbed one for himself and handed one to Booth. "Let's pop this baby open!"

Booth tested the weight of the crowbar in his hand and smiled. He hadn't got to pry open a vehicle door in a long time.

They jammed the ends in the sides of the cargo door and with an agonizing groan, the door popped open, revealing the decomposed remains of two men.

Brennan smiled and snapped on her gloves. "Now this I can work with!"

"After you're done you're preliminary investigation, we'll transfer the bodies and the truck to the old Cheveron." John said, stepping away from the vehicle to give her room.

"A gas station?" Booth sent him an odd look.

"It was a restaurant too, it's got a car bay AND a large freezer."

Booth blinked and then shrugged. "Ok."

"Booth, can you bring me my kit please?" Brennan called out.

He handed it to her and sighed silently. She was in her element, and it would be at least two hours before she was ready to have the Jeep and it's gruesume contents relocated.

"So." Amos chirped, pulling a blanket off an old TV set, and opening the door to the mini fridge beneath it. "How about that beer? The hockey game is just starting."

John and Booth looked at each other and shrugged.

"One wouldn't hurt." John said, grabbing a stool from the corner.

"I'm in." Booth grinned.

In Canada for less than twenty four hours and he was already in a garage drinking beer, watching the hockey game.

CH

Booth stared out the windshield at the scene in front of him. The tow truck hauling the wrecked Jeep was winching it down in front of the closed down gas station and a bunch of people were milling around watching.

"What's going on?"

John put the vehicle in park and got out. "Word gets around in a small town. Probably they're checking to see if it's Uncle Fred."

"Uncle Fred?" Brennan asked, making sure the body bags in the back were firmly zipped.

"Yeah, he disappears every couple of years."

"Every couple years?" Booth raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, we usually go out looking for him, make sure he's not dead in the men's room if you know what I mean. He finally had to get indoor plumbing after Jesse's boy bombed the outhouse. Took off before the bill came though. Wily old fart."

"Are these people going to be hysterical?" Brennan asked, shutting her door.

"Hell no. He's been gone for five years this time, they're all hoping he's really dead so they can sell off the house."

"Nice." Booth murmered.

"Can't blame them really, they actually found him once, in an old trappers cabin, he tore strips off them something bad."

Brennan paused. "Not... Literally?"

John gave her a weird look. "No."

"Oh, ok. So he gave them a verbal chastisement?"

"Thats a tender way of putting it."

"So why don't they just have him declared dead?" Booth questioned, taking another glance at the people gathered by the old gas pumps sharing coffee out of thermos's and the odd beer.

"They've tried, he always shows up to the court hearing, laughing like a maniac. Judge says they have to wait ten years this time, or have proof of death."

A burly guy holding a coffee ambled over, a smile on his face. "Any luck this time John?"

John shook his head. "Don't know yet. This is Doctor Brennan. She'll be the one to tell us."

He stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you. Jake Stafford." He turned to Booth. "And you are?"

"Agent Seeley Booth. FBI."

"FBI doesn't have any jurisdiction here, so whats the deal?"

"Psuedo vacation."

Jake nodded. "Yeah, I jsut got back from one of those. Hauled a cat down to the border. Nice drive. Real relaxing."

"I shouldn't think a cat would require hauling?" Brennan said.

"Not a kitty cat Ma'am. A Dozer. You're a scientist?"

"Yes."

"Good at your job?"

"The best."

"Good to know. Need any help getting these popsicles inside?" He motioned to the back of the SUV.

"Is the freezer turned on?" John asked, opening the cargo door.

"Yeah, Ritchie came in and flipped it on this morning."

"Ritchie use a key?"

"Ritchie ever use a key?" Jake replied with a shake of his head. "Kid's gonna make a darn fine locksmith one day." He smiled.

"Well, we might as well get these two inside." John shook his head. "I already told Ritchie about not using the key."

"He had the key, he just didn't use it. Mary gave it to him, said you'd be wanting to use this place." Jake reassured him, taking an end of a body bag and testing the weight. "Doc, you'll be wanting to talk to the blonde with the thermos about whatever tools you'll need. Darlene is the best meat cutter in town, and she's also the owner of the Home Hardware, so she'll be able to sort you out."

Brennan smiled and headed in the direction pointed out. "Thanks."

"What about me?" Booth called after her.

John laughed. "Grab an end Booth, this is how an undertaker feels."

CH

Brennan snapped her gloves on and gave the corpse a tentative poke. "This one has quite a lot of flesh on it still."

Darlene looked up from laying out the weapons of bodily destruction that she'd acumulated over the years. "You don't like flesh?"

"I deal with bone."

"I'm excellent with flesh, do you mind if I help?"

Booth sucked in a breath. "Here we go." He muttered, rolling his eyes skyward.

"I hear you're the new coroner Darlene, congratulations." John said casually.

Brennan lifted her head and looked at Darlene carefully. "Are you qualified?"

"Sure." Darlene said. "I've got a doctorate in Biology and Medical Science."

There was a moment of silence in the old fashioned restaurant style kitchen.

"Really?" Jake blurted out.

"What did you think I was doing in school for ten years?" Darlene looked at him quizzicaly.

"Party'n. And then there was that Playboy thing too. Your dad was right excited about that."

John grinned and chimed in, "So excited he broke into the gas station, stole all the copies of that issue and burned them all in a big bonfire in the parking lot. I remember that."

Booth stared at her wide eyed for a second. "I thought you looked familiar."

There was a strange sound and everyone looked over at Brennan, who was glaring at Booth. "Could we focus please? I have remains to identify, and they're starting to stink. Darlene, take the fleshy one. I'll dismember the other and begin the de-fleshing process."

"Sure." Darlene picked up a small circular saw like the one Cam had in her autopsy room and started it up with a grin. "Ready, set, go!"

Jake and John left in a hurry, heading for the shop garage.

"You shouldn't have mentioned that about her old man." One said. "He'll blow a hole in your rear if he hears you mention it."

"Yeah I know. Billy got popped last year cause he bought an issue off the internet."

"You can do that?"

"Hell ya. You didn't know that?"

"Hey, out at the farm we still only got dial-up, and thats only if it's clear out."

Their voices faded off until they were blocked entirely by the bang of the big steel door closing.

"I... uh...I'm gonna go find some kind of accomodation." Booth muttered, but over the whine of the power tools, nobody heard him, and he left, shaking his head.

They didn't have to look so happy about cutting up the remains.

Brennan poked at the contents of the pot burbling away on the stove.

"Did you really pose for playboy?"

Darlene looked up, carefully sliding the heart into a mason jar before replying. "Yeah. I had a scholarship to a University in California, and in my last year it ran out. I needed the money."

Brennan nodded. "That's logical enough."

"Yeah that's what I thought too. Daddy wasn't so impressed."

"What does he do?"

"He's the Police Chief."

Brennan stared. "Did he get in trouble for breaking into the gas station and stealing all the magazines?"

"Nobody reported him." Darlene shrugged. "I think he paid for them after. He's actually a big softy. And I signed an issue for the guy who owned the store."

Brennan tilted her head to the side thoughfully. "My dad is kind of like that too."

"Kind of makes it hard to get a boyfriend doesn't it?"

"No. Booth makes it hard to get a boyfriend." Brennan muttered.

Darlene squinted at her. "I thought Booth was your boyfriend."

"No."

"Are you sure? Because he looks at you like he's your boyfriend."

"We're just partners." Brennan said softly.

Darlene reached for another organ. "Maybe you should ask him what his definition of partners is. Cause if I was you? I'd be hitting that."

"Hitting what?"

Darlene gave her a look.

"Oh... THAT. I get it now." Brennan smiled, pleased with herself. "I'll think about it."


	2. Chapter 2

CH

Booth strolled into the kitchen shaking his head. "Bones, you're not going to believe this."

The two women in the room looked at him curiously.

"They don't have a hotel here." He announced.

"Sure we do." Darlene said, returning her attention to the corpse in front of her. "It's closed for repairs."

"Repairs?" Brennan asked.

"It had a slight fire."

"SLIGHT?" Booth cried out. "It's burnt to the ground!"

"Just the front part."

"It was all front." Booth muttered darkly.

"Pretty much." Darlene agreed. "Don't worry about it, you can stay in Phil's cabin. He won't mind. He's in the city right now."

"Who's Phil?" Booth asked, not sure if he really wanted to know.

"The old coroner. He had a heart attack this morning. Owns the hotel too. Probably the fire was the cause of the heart attack." She held up the corpse's hand and started pulling the skin off. "He'd be glad to let you stay in the cabin."

"Excellent." Brennan replied. "That will suit us nicely."

"Wait." Booth interrupted, remembering the discussion about Uncle Fred. "The cabin has plumbing, right?"

"Indoor?" Darlene said innocently.

Booth closed his eyes and thunked his head against the door frame. "Why me?"

"Relax." Darlene chuckled. "He's got plumbing. It's a helluva cabin."

"We're almost done here for now Booth, how about I meet you at the diner across the street in an hour?" Brennan said, looking around the room. "We'll figure it out then. Darlene? Do you see the scalpel?"

"Right here."

"Thanks. This is very interesting."

Booth sighed and left, heading for the diner across the street. A bunch of pickups were parked out front, in various states of rustiness.

He felt overdressed in his FBI regulation suit.

A silence fell as he walked through the door, then after he'd been eyeballed by every person there the conversations resumed.

"Congratulations." The waitress said, leading him to a table in the back. "You passed the test."

"What test is that?" Booth said, loosening his tie.

"The Tax and Politics test."

He sat down in a chair and took the menu she handed to him. "What?"

"You're not a tax man, and you're not a politican." She held her pen to the pad of paper in her other hand. "What'll you have to drink honey?"

"Water please. How do you know I'm not?"

"You didn't smile and you didn't smirk."

Booth blinked at her uncertainly. "Which does which?"

"Tax men smirk."

He squinted as he thought. "You're right. They do."

She winked at him conspiratorily. "I'll be right back with that water."

He watched her walk away with a smile on his face. Old enough to be his mother, but she could probably walk him into the ground, and from the smack upside the head she delivered to the guy at the bar when he pinched her butt, she could probably take him in a fight too.

She was back in a flash, setting the water down in front of him. "You having Chinese or Western?"

"Burger please. With Fries. Gravy."

"Burger and works. Right." She wrote it down. "Dessert?"

"Do I smell pie?"

"Yes you do. Apple or Blueberry?"

"Apple please."

"Sure thing son."

The man at the bar looked around and opened his mouth. "Hey Molly, get that fine rear over here and quit hitting on the customers!" A saucy grin split his lined face.

"Shut up Earl." She smiled back. "Don't mind him." She told Booth. "That old geezer is my husband."

A ripple of laughter went through the room, and Booth nodded. "Good to know." He grinned at her, and she smacked him on the top of his head lightly with the notebook.

"Well arn't you the one!"

CH

"So." Brennan said, sitting down across from Booth with a thud, dropping her purse on the floor. "Darlene phoned, and it's ok if we use the cabin, the key is under the flower pot on the front step, and the bedding is in a closet. Apparently, we want to go to the grocery store though, because there is no food."

Booth blinked at her. "Pie?"

She shook her head. "No thanks. Apparently, the grocery store is two blocks that way, and it closes at seven, so we should hurry." She pulled a pen and a piece of paper out of her jacket pocket. "I'm going to make a list. We'll need coffee, coffee filters, cream, sugar, bagels, cream cheese, popcorn, lavender bubble bath,"

Booth choked and hastily swallowed. "Bubble bath?"

"I smell like death Booth, I'm having a bath."

"Oh, is that what that is?"

She sighed and studied her list. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Can't we just eat here?"

"I like to eat at six, after I come home from my jog. Bacon?"

"Eggs. Toast."

"You mean bread."

"It's the same thing."

"No it isn't. How do I know that you didn't mean garlic toast?"

Booth wrinkled his face in disgust. "Garlic toast for breakfast?"

"With hasbrowns! Great idea Booth. Do you think we should get toliet paper?"

Booth put down his fork and stared across the table at her. She was chewing on the end of the pen, her brown hair tucked behind one ear as she studied her list like it held the holy grail.

"We'll get whatever you want Bones." He said finally. "How long do you think we'll be staying?"

She scanned her list again, making tiny notations and a few additions. "I don't know Booth, at least three days. I've got cause of death, but I have to send some digital images to Angela tonight, and Hodgins won't get the clothing I sent until tommorow at the earliest, and those tests always take twenty four hours or so."

"Uh huh." Booth nodded, eating the last of his pie. "Well, I guess it's time to go grocery shopping then."

She stood up and picked up her bag, tucking the list carefully inside. "Do we have a vehicle?"

Booth motioned with his thumb. "The green four wheel drive. It's a loaner."

"Rental?"

"No. They don't have rentals here. But apparently John's wife is in Toronto at her sisters place getting ready for a wedding and won't be back for a week. He said we should use it, that the battery will die if it doesn't get used for a week."

Brennan shrugged. "Sounds great."

Booth paid his bill and led her outside to the vehicle. "Apparently the cargo door is rusted shut, so we'll have to put the groceries in the backseat."

She climbed in and looked. "Baby seats?"

Booth just shrugged and started it up. "Grocery store. Left or right?"

"Right."

Brennan shoved the second last bag into the back seat and stood holding the bag of potatoes and then mini watermelon she'd purchased on a whim. The floor was full of groceries, and the only place left was the two car seats, one facing forward, one facing back.

She studied the seats and then shrugged, carefully placing the watermelon in the the rear facing seat and the potatoes in the forward facing one, carefully strapping them in so they wouldn't jolt around. Then she stepped back with a smile and closed the door, climbing into the passenger seat to wait for Booth, who had gotten distracted in the hardware store next door.

A few minutes later he walked out with a small yellow bag and climbed in, starting the vehicle. "Got everything?"

"Yes I think so."

He turned around and gaped. "Uh oh."

She spun around and looked anxiously at the groceries. "What?"

He looked from her to the potatoes and then back to her again. "Are you feeling ok?"

"Yes, why?"

"Any strange maternal urges lately?"

"I've been thinking about getting a cat, why?"

He looked back at the potatoes and noticed the watermelon, tightly secured in the baby carrier. "No reason."

"You're acting very strangely Booth."

He caught himself checking the backseat again. "I'm fine. Everything's great."

"Ok." She turned her attention to the yellow bag. "What did you buy?"

"A screwdriver."

"A screwdriver?"

"Yeah, it's great! It's got all the bits, and they're all inside the casing, and then you just push the one you want forwards." He smiled triumphantly. "No more loosing the bits!"

CH

They sat in the car, staring out at the cabin in front of them.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Booth asked finally.

"Yes." Brennan answered, checking her hand drawn map. "This is it. It's going to be used as a hunting lodge next year."

Booth raised his eyebrows. "It's... Palatial."

"I've seen bigger." Brennan replied, opening her door and stepping out. "Let's get our stuff inside, it's getting colder."

"Welcome to Canada." Booth muttered. "Where there is no limit to how cold it can get."

Brennan stuck her head back in the car. "You sound cranky. Are you cranky Booth?"

He grimaced. "No. I'm fine. Go open the door, and I'll bring the groceries and our bags in."

She smiled and ran up the stairs to the huge double doors.

The only thing about this place that said 'cabin', was the fact it was constructed of rough hewn logs.

Booth sighed and got out, opening the back door to pull out the grocery bags.

He'd been hoping for a tiny little one room place, where they would have had to share a bed.

A small bed.

One of those old fashioned 3/4 sized ones, with the brown metal bed frame.

Unfortunately for him, this place looked like it had multiple bedrooms. And probably two living rooms.

Probably filled with game trophies.

Stuffed birds.

He shuddered. He hated birds.

Those beady little eyes.

He stepped into the now glowing "cabin" and looked around. Brennan had turned all the lights on. Tiled flooring led the way to the kitchen, just visable through another doorway. To his left and right were hardwood flooring, with oriental carpets rolled up on the sides of the room. Wood burning fireplaces bookended the wide room, giving him a ray of hope.

"Bones?"

"Yeah?"

"Does this place have central heating?" He dropped the bags on the entrance floor and turned to go back for the rest.

"I don't know." She called out. "I can't find a thermostat, but I do see registers. It's cold in here though, maybe we should light a fire?"

He grinned on his way out the door.

Maybe they'd get to snuggle in front of the fire...

He shut the car door with a slam.

The last load.

Brennan's bags weighed a ton.

He dropped them in the entryway and shut the big door behind him. "Bones?"

"In here!" She called from the kitchen.

The grocery bags had disappeared, and he supposed she was putting the groceries away somewhere.

"Where do you want your bags?" He asked, crossing his fingers.

"Oh." She walked out of the kitchen, a pensive look on her face. "I don't know. There appears to be four bedrooms, but only two are furnished so far. They both have fireplaces, so just pick one."

He clenched his jaw to keep his disappointment from showing. "Ok, sounds good." He picked up the bags again and headed for the hallway that exited the room.

"Wait! Check the bathrooms first. I want whichever room has a jacuzzi tub." She announced, spinning on her heel and heading back to the kitchen, mumbling something about not being able to find the oven, and how was she supposed to make mac and cheese without an oven?

A smile twitched the corners of Booth's mouth.

At least he was going to get mac and cheese.

The first two bedrooms were empty, just as she had said. An office, and a full bathroom were next.

A gently curving staircase led to the second floor, annoucing the end of the hallway, and he went up it curiously. Someone had made it by hand.

A short landing at the top was framed by two doors, and he pushed one open. A handmade four poster bed with a filmy white duvet stood in the place of honour in the huge room. He set the bags down with a thump.

"Now THAT'S a bed." He announced to himself.

Another door just to the side stood open, and he peeked inside. A whirlpool jacuzzi and full shower.

"I guess this is Bones's rooms then." He shook his head in wonderment.

No matter where they ended up, she always seemed to get amazing accomadation, while he ended up with a windowless broom closet.

He left her bags in the room and went next door, holding his breath as he pushed it open and turned on the light.

The bed was big. Solid. Covered in a black duvet. A huge TV sat on the dresser.

He dropped his bag and started laughing in relief.

Paradise.

His room also had an en-suite. With a whirlpool bath. Shower. The works.

He sat on the edge of the bed and flipped the TV on.

His mouth dropped open.

And he stifled the unmanly squeal that burbled in his chest.

Full subscription to the Playboy channel.

Ten different twenty-four hour sports network channels.

And no national geographic.

He was in heaven.

CH

Booth left his room with a smile on his face, shutting the door carefully behind him.

Brennan's room didn't have a TV.

Neither did the lounge/living room downstairs.

Could it be?

Did he have the only TV in the house in his bedroom?

Diabolical possibilites filled his mind.

But there was a definate nip in the air now, he needed to start some fires.

He thundered down the stairs and strode into the kitchen, a lovely aroma meeting his nose.

"You found the oven?" He asked.

"Yes. They hid it behind a cupboard door."

Booth laughed out loud. "Tricky buggers."

Brennan looked at him from the side of her eyes and smiled. He seemed much happier.

"I'm going to start some fires." He announced.

"Wood is stacked just outside the door there." She pointed, sipping a mug of tea.

"Hey, did you make me any?" He asked, heading for the door.

"I thought you didn't like tea."

"I like the stuff that reminds me of coffee."

"This is blueberry herbal."

"I like blueberries."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I will make you some while you start the fires."

He winked at her and opened the back door, grabbing some kindling and blocks of wood.

"How many should I start?" He asked in a low voice.

Her breath caught in her throat. "Um. I don't know." She forced out, biting her lip. When he used that voice her fingers and toes and everything in between tingled.

All of a sudden she didn't care about fires.

There were better ways to get warm.

He glanced at her on his way to the wood stove in the corner of the room. She was staring wide eyed into her tea, her lower lip between her teeth.

"Bones?"

She blinked and jumped up, wiping suddenly sweaty palms against her hips. "Tea! Right. Sorry, I was... thinking.."

She took a deep breath and reached for the kettle, turning on the stove burner.

She'd been thinking alright.

Of Booth... and her... twisted up in the sheets of her bed...

She HAD to get a grip.

"Mac and Cheese alright for tonight?" She asked, clearing her voice.

He was crouched in front of the wood stove, and a tiny flame was flickering within, reflecting light onto his face when he turned to smile at her.

"Sounds great Bones."


	3. Chapter 3

CH

Booth stared at the ceiling above him, listening to the sound of the flames cracking against the logs in his fireplace... A heavy warmth filled the room, the scent of the logs infusing it with a woodsy smell that brought back memories of camping in the mountains with Pops and Jared when they were all a bit younger.

The bed was firm and yet soft, and the sheets were smooth and crisp.

He shut his eyes and let his body relax, sinking into the bliss that was his bed, his room.

He'd never been so comfortable in his life.

When he got home he was going to invest in a better bed.

Better pillows.

Better sheets.

And hopefully, he wouldn't be the only one enjoying them.

He'd been going about this all wrong.

His usual charm and lay plan had never worked on Bones.

She wasn't normal.

He needed to be efficient. Sneaky. Stealthy.

He smiled, with his eyes still closed.

She didn't stand a chance of holding out...

Brennan sighed and leaned against the back of the tub, letting the jets massage her back and the bubbles whisk away the scent of death.

Bliss.

She lifted a handfull of bubbles and blew on them, sending them floating off in clumps.

Through the open door she could see the fire that Booth had built in her fireplace, and the creamy white bed beckoning her, calling her to sink into a restful oblivion.

The sheets were as good as the ones she had at home, she'd checked the tag.

Secretly, she was relieved the hotel had burnt down. The worst part of staying in a hotel, was the rude shock of sub-par sheets and pillows.

Not that she complained.

It was just she was so much more efficient when rested properly.

She streched and relaxed again.

They had arranged an early morning meeting with John and Darlene. The cabin was equipped with wireless internet, and she'd touched base with both Cam and Hodgins, both of whom had assured her that there would be results by the morning.

Angela had been out at dinner with her dad, but her computer was processing the images sent earlier. Although they had found ID in the car, stating the corpses to be American, they couldn't assume that the IDs belonged to the remains.

Perhaps there were more.

Brennan considered the possiblity with narrowed eyes.

A serial killer?

It had been a long time since they'd had a really juicy serial killer case.

Although technically it wasn't their case, they were just consulting. The case was John's, unless he passed it off to some higher ups.

She wasn't quite sure of the legal chain of command in the RCMP.

Not that it mattered.

Booth was all the help she'd ever needed.

CH

The smell of coffee and bacon wafted into the room and Booth sat up with a start. The clock on the bedside table said 7 AM.

The morning meeting was set for 7:30, and if he jumped into the shower right now, he'd just be able to make it.

Thank God the meeting was being held downstairs...

Brennan poured herself a coffee and checked the bacon to make sure she didn't burn it.

She didn't eat bacon anymore, but Booth did, and she wanted him to know she was thinking of him.

There was a saying that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach, which was entirely ridiculous, being that there was no direct route from the the stomach to the heart, only blood vessels, and those flowed one way, from the heart to the stomach.

But she was willing to give it a try.

Perhaps the meaning wasn't literal.

There was a tap at the back door, and Brennan opened it to find Darlene standing on the back porch.

"I hope it's ok I came early?" She asked.

"Of course." Brennan held the door open. "I'm just making breakfast. Bacon?"

"No thanks. I ate already. I had to drop Allanah off at school for an early basketball practise and I thought I might as well come straight here. Could I steal a cup of coffee of you though? I swear I'm dying."

Brennan blinked. "Why are you dying?"

"Caffiene withdrawl."

"Oohhh..Mugs are in the second cupboard on the right."

Darlene unzipped her jacket and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

They sat down at the kitchen table, each with a mug of coffee and stared at each other with that early morning blank look.

"So.. Who's Allanah?" Brennan finally asked.

"My daughter. She's 13. At THAT age." Darlene rolled her eyes.

"What age is that?"

"Boys. Clothes. Puberty."

Brennan took a sip of her coffee and tried to remember what 13 had been like. Her Mom and Dad had still been with her. Her brother was the cool kid with the car. She'd had a crush on that boy who gave her the wrong smurf... "It's a tough age." She murmered. "You're married?"

"No." Darlene slowely turned her coffee cup in a circle. She looked at Brennan hesitantly. "I usually don't talk about this, but Allanah's dad... he died right after I got pregnant. He didn't even know. And... It wasn't... We wern't in love, you know?"

"I'm sorry." Brennan said quietly, touched that the woman had confided in her. "Is that why you moved back here?"

Darlene nodded. "I was here visiting my dad, so it was a logical decision just to stay."

"A car accident?" Brennan guessed.

"Avalanche." Darlene bit her lip. "It was John's best friend. But... that's not the worst part... Truth is I don't know... Your lab can do DNA testing right? Paternity?"

"Yes. But there are labs here too." Brennan said in confusion.

"Yes, but in a small town...Word gets around, and I don't want that to happen. And I don't know... I don't want to cause a problem.. I don't.." She stopped talking and looked away.

Brennan studied her. "You think someone else might have been the father, and you don't want to cause them pain if they arn't."

"Yes." Darlene said in relief. "Yes. He's married now, and it was a one time thing, a sharing of grief that went too far... He's a good guy, and I don't know how his wife would take it, they havn't been getting along lately."

Brennan nodded, her ears picking up on the sounds that meant Booth was on his way down the stairs. "How about you get me the samples and I'll send them out. We'll keep this between us."

Darlene swallowed hard. "Thank you."

Booth walked into the room, his hair still wet, the scent of his shaving cream filling the kitchen. "I smell bacon."

Brennan's mouth dropped open. "Crap! I forgot about it, is it burnt?" She jumped up and ran to the stove. "Whew. Almost." She lifted the pan off the stove and replaced it with another. "Eggs Booth?"

"Please." He said, pouring himself a coffee. "How's it going Darlene?"

Darlene looked up from her coffee, fully composed. "Good. Are you ready for the day?"

Booth chugged some coffee. "You bet. Where's John?"

A knock on the front door heralded the answer, and Booth went to open it, coming back a few seconds later with John behind him.

"Breakfast?" Brennan offered, poised to crack another egg.

"Sure." John said, grabbing a coffee cup and helping himself. "We're gonna have a busy day today, better get my strength up!"

Booth reached around Brennan, his hand on her hip, and took two plates out of the cupboard. "Why? What's the plan?"

Brennan held her breath so her pulse wouldn't betray the rush of heat that had swept through her at his touch, and cracked the egg.

John sat down at the table. "I thought you and I'd go see if we can talk to all the farmers in the area the car was found, check out some barns, outsheds, winter paddocks, see if we can't find ourselves a driver. The ladies will no doubt be busy with their power tools."

Darlene smirked, and Brennan corrected him. "Actually, we won't be using the tools today, we'll be cataloguing bone markers used in the process of identification."

Her cell phone chirped, and she picked it up, flipping the eggs with her other hand. "Yes?"

Booth joined the others at the table and smiled. "She's multitalented."

"Apparently." John grinned. "Cooks and talks at the same time."

Darlene snorted. "You think thats difficult?"

"Oh here we go." John rolled his eyes till he was looking at the ceiling. "Darlene's lecture on the superiourity of the female brain."

Booth grinned as Darlene reached over and smacked John on the back of his head.

"I'm telling your wife." Darlene teased.

"Good luck." John laughed. "She's knee deep in tulle, if it's not about Cissy's wedding, she won't hear you."

Brennan put the plates down on the table with a smack. "That was Cam."

"And?" Booth said, grabbing his fork.

"Angela has sent her images to my laptop, Hodgins is getting results as we speak, and Cam has narrowed missing Americans in Canada down to 30 men."

"Sounds good to me." John said, reacing for the salt and pepper in front of him. "Only 28 more to find."

CH

Booth smiled to himself as he climbed into the front seat of the big white SUV. When he'd pressed up against her to get the plates, she'd stopped breathing, frozen.

She'd liked it.

Phase One was off to a great start.

John cleared his throat as he started the SUV up. "So how's the accomodation?"

"Good."

"Your girlfriend is a good cook. Those eggs really hit the spot."

Booth nodded, not bothering to correct the man beside him. "She's full of suprises."

John grinned at him knowingly. "So, I thought we'd start at the Nile's farm, and work our way into town from there."

"How many farms is there on that road?"

"Eight or Nine. Shouldn't take long. We'll be back for late lunch."

Brennan unlocked the door and walked into the closed up restaruant, flicking on the lights as she went, heading for the kitchen at the back, and the remains.

"I sent the organs air mail last night, so Hodgins should get them shortly." She said, pausing before the doorway, looking back at Darlene, who was frowning at something on the floor. "What's wrong?"

Darlene looked up at her. "I could be wrong... but I think someone has been in here."

Brennan's eyes widened in horror, and she burst through the doorway into the kitchen, her mouth dropping open as she turned on the light.

Cupboards were open, the tools had been tossed to the floor in a jumble, the tables were knocked over and broken, it was destroyed.

Ruined...

"CRAP!".

Darlene peered over her shoulder, gasping in horror.

"The remains? Where are they?"

Brennan snapped her jaw closed, her eyes flying to the freezer where she had carefully stored the bones, because it could be locked.

"The freezer." She whispered.

The lock hung crookedly from the door frame, wrenched off by the crowbar on the floor.

"Wait." Darlene whispered, as Brennan started to pick her way across the room, avoiding the wreckage. "I'm going to call Jake."

"Why?"

"He's got a gun, we should have a gun, what if the person who did this is still in there?"

Brennan reached for her purse, pulling out her own gun. "You're right. You open the door, and I'll shoot!"

Darlene stared at the gun for a moment in surprise. "Wow, I should get one of those, that's a nice one!"

Brennan looked at it proudly. "Thank you. I like it too."

Darlene picked her way across to Brennan, and they took opposite sides of the door, silently counting to three.

Darlene grabbed the handle and yanked on it.

It creaked as it opened, and Brennan looked around the corner of the door, her gun held firmly in front her, in true Booth fashion.

"Huh."

"What?" Darlene asked, peeking around the door.

They stared in silence.

"Maybe we should wait for Booth and John." Brennan declared.

Darlene nodded, pushing the door closed again as Brennan stepped away, lowering her gun.

They stared at each other in silence.

"Coffee?" Darlene suggested.

CH

Brennan stood in the doorway to the kitchen and leaned on the broom.

It looked much better.

Almost back to normal.

A body pressed against her and a hand covered hers on the broom.

"Why are there two tables outside. Two BROKEN tables?" A low voice asked in her ear.

She let out the breath she'd instinctively sucked in and felt her body stir. "Ransacked."

He pulled the broom away and leaned it up against the wall. "What?"

"The kitchen." She waved around. "It was ransacked. It's a good thing that I already sent all the samples to Hodgins and Cam last night after I packed up, they might have gotten wrecked or been stolen." She said, squeezing her eyes shut in horror.

Damn her mouth! She always talked to much when she was nervous. And with him standing so close behind her that she could feel the heat of him through her clothes, she was feeling very nervous.

Nervous that she'd lose control and rip his clothes off.

He moved so he was standing beside her.

"Seriously?"

She looked offended. "Yes."

"Why did you clean it up?"

"Oh... We took pictures, and dusted for fingerprints. And then we decided to tidy it up so we can get back to work."

His eyes connected to hers. "Work on what?"

"The remains."

"Someone broke in and they ransacked the room, but didn't compromise the remains?" He said, running his hand through his hair.

Brennan was silent and his eyes widened. "Bones! You arn't saying anything."

There was a slight cough from behind them. "The remains are intact." Darlene said.

"Intact." Booth repeated.

"More or less." Brennan clarified hesitantly.

"That doesn't sound good." John spoke up from behind Darlene, who jumped visably at the sound of a voice behind her.

Booth clenched his jaw. "Where ARE the remains?"

Darlene and Brennan exchanged glances. "Freezer." They said together.

Booth walked over, looked at the broken lock and put his hand on his gun.

"Thats not necessary Booth." Brennan said.

He looked back at them, outraged. "You opened it!"

Brennan shrugged and looked at the floor, avoiding his eyes.

"What if someone had been in there! You could have gotten killed! Both of you!" He raged.

Darlene frowned at him. "We had a gun."

Silence fell in the room as Booth visibly tryed to calm himself.

"A gun. Whose gun?" He asked finally.

Two gazes shifted to Brennan's bag, laying on the counter.

Booth's eyes followed their gazes and he groaned. "BONES!"

"I'm lisensed!" She protested feebly.

"You brought your gun to CANADA?"

"Well, you brought yours."

He squeezed his eyes shut and thunked his head against the wall. "I should have known... I should have checked...I've got to get that thing revoked." He shook his head.

John hid his smile behind his hand and walked across the room, then popped the door open on the freezer and peeked inside.

"Jesus CHRIST!"

He shut the door again, and looked at Darlene and Brennan in horror.

"Did you do that?"

A dimple appeared in Darlene's cheek. "Not hardly."

Brennan looked at him seriously. "We havn't touched inside the freezer."

Booth reached for the handle. "Did they do WHAT?"

John stepped aside and Booth opened the door, staring in silence at the interior of the freezer.

Two boxes of bones sat on a shelf to the right of the door, spattered with blood and globs of grey matter. To the left was a corpse with a gash in his head, frozen, with snow clinging to his hair. And in the center of the room, a body was leaning against the back wall, the top of it's head sprayed around the room, a gun in it's lap.

Booth shut the door and leaned against it, his arms crossed against his chest, staring at them all.

"That freezer can't be opened from the inside." John stated, rocking back on his heels.

Booth blinked in acknowledgement.

"A prank gone wrong?" Darlene guessed.

"You mean a prank as in, destroy the kitchen, add and extra body to the two sets of remains already in the freezer, let the freezer door close on you and then blow your brains out when you realise you can't get out.. kind of prank?" Booth said bitterly.

Brennan tilted her head. "Maybe someone else shut the door on him."

Booth raised his eyebrows thoughtfully, looking slightly happier. "That sounds good. Any way we could know for sure?"

"There is no vehicle outside except ours." John pointed out. "He would have needed a vehicle to get that corpse over here from wherever it was."

Darlene pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed a number, then had a short conversation before hangin up. "A white truck was here in the middle of the night, two people went in with a rolled up rug, and a few minutes later, one came out and drove away."

John stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled. "Gran."

Darlene grinned. "Gran lives a street over, and she's a real light sleeper, and a night owl."

Booth smiled. "Anybody see a rug?"

"No." Brennan said.

He rubbed his hands together happily. "Then we still have a case to solve. One with FOUR murders."

CH


	4. Chapter 4

CH

Brennan stood in front of the fire, her arms wrapped around her waist. It had been a long day...She had a lot to think about.

Back in DC she would have sworn that Booth felt nothing for her beyond the usual Partner/Friend relationship they had built over the last five years. Even when she searched for alternate reasons for his actions, she'd never been able to make anything out of them than what they were.

Guy hugs.

Chivalry.

But here... Something was different.

He wasn't doing anything different... His words weren't different.. His behaviour wasn't different.. And yet, it was.

He wasn't touching her any more than normal.

But when he was around her, he was in her space.

So close she could feel him.

And yet there was always a plausible explanation.

It was her own reaction that was most worrisome.

Not the fact that his closeness made her heart skip a beat, her cheeks flush, her body tightening in response to his smell, unbidden images of that one kiss flooding her memory...

But the fact that when he moved away, she felt cold.

And the cold didn't seem to be going away.

She'd checked her temperature, and she didn't have a fever.

No goosebumps.

The cold feeling was internal.

What if things reverted when they went home?

What if she went the rest of her life feeling cold?

Longing for his body heat?

She bit her lip and stepped closer to the flames.

Fight or Flight?

Could she run somewhere where he couldn't find her?

No.

Did she want to?

No.

She was tired of running.

A realization shimmered in the shadows of her mind.

She didn't have to be in control.

This was life, not science.

Booth knew more about life.

She swallowed and gathered her courage.

She would let him decide.

Follow his lead.

A warm heat spread through her, and she felt his breath on her neck. "Here's your tea Bones."

His arm came around her waist, a steaming mug in his hand.

She took it. "Thank You."

He stepped away, and she turned to look at him as he settled down onto the couch, careful not to spill his own steaming mug.

"A strange case." She said casually.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Yes, but interesting, don't you think? Come sit down before you catch fire."

She pondered his words, running the probabilities of her catching on fire against the probabilities of her spontaneously combusting on the couch next to him, wondering which would be worse. Her sensible side chided her, reminding her that spontaneous combustion had never been proved. A whisper came from her heart, telling her it would be worth it, and she smiled.

Booth always said to listen to her heart.

She crossed and sat down beside him on the couch, giving him a hesitant smile.

"You're happy." She stated, looking at his profile in the dim light.

A crooked grin split his face.

"Yeah. When I saw the body in the freezer, I was worried the case might be over."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not ready to go home yet."

She stared into her mug.

"Why not?"

"Well for one thing," He said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "I havn't seen a live hockey game yet."

"Anything else?" She teased.

"Well, there is that giant TV in my bedroom."

Their laughter filled the room and carried out to the porch, where a man crouched, twisting something in his hand...

CH

Booth walked into the room, his hair still damp, holding a shirt in his hand and a towel in the other, with which he was drying his face.

"Bones, I think I cut my jaw shaving. Would you mind checking? My mirror is taking to long to defog."

She turned around and nearly dropped her coffee mug at the sight of him.

Tight fitting jeans, lean muscular torso...

"Absolutely." She said, walking over to him.

He moved into her space and tilted his chin so she could see the area in question, though she had to blink a few times to get her brain past the fact that his naked chest was not even and inch from her body, and if she turned her head a fraction, her lips would be pressed to his shoulder..

"Booth, it's just a tiny little nick." She finally said, slightly breathless.

He smiled as he stepped back and pulled his shirt on. "Thanks Bones, that's a relief."

She nodded silently and sat down at the table, feeling like gravity had just shifted and she hadn't come back to earth yet.

Booth grabbed the car keys off the counter and headed for the door. "I'll go start the car so it's warm when we're ready to go."

She nodded and watched him leave.

Nobody should look that good in the morning.

Booth jogged out to the car and climbed in, starting it up and turning the heater to full blast.

She was very close to wanting him as much as he wanted her.

Which was getting a little hard to handle.

While phase one was going wonderfully, all that closeness had made it almost impossible for him to sleep. Thank god for the TV in his room.

And the private shower.

He crossed himself and got out of the car, heading back for the house. With the thoughts he'd been having of her, he'd be going to hell for sure.

He opened the door to the house and heard a sound behind him that made him stand stock still.

A Whoompf-ish noise.

He slowely turned around and stared at the car, which was fully engulphed in flames.

"Sh*t."

He sighed and went into the house, shaking his head.

"What's wrong?" Brennan asked immediately.

"Among other things, the car just went up in flames, I think it's a sign from god that I'm going to hell, and I really, really need... a coffee."

She stared at him as he crossed the room ad slumped down into a chair, staring at her.

"Why are you going to hell?" She wondered.

"Impure thoughts."

"Oh." Brennan grinned. That was promising.

"What no lecture about hell's non-existance?"

Brennan just smiled at him and pushed her coffee cup across the table.

He took a deep swallow. "Thanks."

"Better now?"

His gaze returned to her, and she felt a wave of heat straight down to her belly. "No. But it'll do. I have to go phone John and inform him that his second vehicle has just been decimated."

Brennan's jaw dropped open. "Wait, you were serious?"

CH

They sat on the front stairs waiting for John to come pick them up and inspect the damage to the car.

"Damnit." Booth swore, holding his head in his hands. "When I find this guy, he's going to go away for a LONG time.. he could have killed you!" Fury was evident in his voice. He should have noticed something wrong. He should have heard something. God knows he was up half the night. Surely he would have heard someone tinkering with the car...

"Me?" Brennan looked at him in surprise. "You're the one who always starts the car."

Booth made a non-committal grunt and stared at his shoes, berating himself for not paying better attention, knowing that she was right, it was meant as a warning, if whoever had set that firetrap had wanted them dead, they would be dead right now, instead of sitting here, waiting.

"Booth?" She asked softly.

"Yeah."

"Have you ever thought about dying?"

"What about it?"

"Well, for instance.. How would you like to die, if you got to choose?" Brennan asked, watching the trees sway in the wind.

Booth snickered suddenly, and Brennan looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"I want to die by BJ." He announced.

"What? Oral sex? That's impossible."

"I guess I don't want to die then."

They sat in silence for a minute considering.

"It is possible actually." Booth said slowly. "I can think of two ways which would be acceptable to me."

"Oh?" Brennan looked at him quizzically.

He held up a hand with two fingers raised. "One, I could die of a heart attack brought on by intense pleasure, or two, I could die in an explosion directly after..you know."

"But that would also kill the person with you." She pointed out.

He leaned back on his elbows. "Well, I've never wanted to die alone."

"Valid point." She conceded. The idea had never pleased her much either.

"Thank you."

Brennan bit her lip. "I guess that would be unfortunate for the person with you though, dying in a state of need like that."

"Need?"

Booth sat up straight and looked at her.

She was examining her shoelaces. "Yes, well, you'd be satisfied obviously, but..."

His eyes took in her flushed cheeks, and he just couldn't resist pushing just a little bit more. "There are ways of making sure BOTH parties are satisfied at the same time." He said in a silky tone.

She thought for a moment and her eyes widened. "I forgot about that..Yes." Her voice trailed off as images ran through her head.

He watched her think, and then when he couldn't stand it anymore he whispered, "Bones."

"Hmm?" She murmured, slowly turning her eyes to him.

The sight would have knocked him down if he had been standing, her eyes wide and dilated, a stormy blue, her cheeks flushed and rosy, her lips pink and swollen where she'd bit it as her mind had wandered.

"What are you thinking?" He said huskily, wanting to take her right then and there despite the cold and the snow.

She smiled dreamily. "I'm thinking you are correct. That would be a lovely way to die. If ever we are in a building about to die, I will know how to proceed.."

CH

Booth stared at her, his eyes smouldering…..He was going to blow this clean out of the water…He leaned forward, so close he could see the flecks in her eyes, and he smiled his special smile….the one which made promises and convinced good catholic girls to go astray.

"Why wait till then?" He whispered, dropping his gaze to her mouth.

She tilted her head back and held his gaze, a tiny smile of her own playing on her lips, the look of seduction growing in her eyes, a playful awareness, like a cat with a string.

The sound of a horn beeping made them both turn their heads to watch John drive up and park beside the burnt wreckage of his car. He stared at it for a minute, then climbed out and turned to them with a shrug.

"She's been saying she wants a new vehicle. I guess this is as good a time as any."

Brennan stood up with an easy smile and walked over to him. "I'm really sorry. This has never happened before."

John looked at Booth still sitting on the steps and a dimple appeared in his cheek, but he showed no other sign of amusement. "It's just a car. I'll phone Larry and get him to bring the tow truck over to pick it up tonight after it's cooled down a bit. You folks had breakfast yet?"

"Yeah. " Booth said, finally feeling under control enough to stand up without embarrassing himself. He was no longer sure who was the predator and who was the prey when it came to him and Brennan, but there was no way he was stepping back.

John nodded and took another look at his car. "We should go then, I told Darlene we'd come and get her, just in case her car is booby trapped too."

Booth walked over to the SUV and held the door open for Brennan, a look she had never seen before on his face. When she got close he leaned into her, and pressed his lips to her ear, asking her a question he'd never have asked before the conversation on the porch, a question designed to make her think of him, and her, naked, designed to keep her awake at night in sweats… A question to show who had the upper hand…

He lowered his voice into a husky caress and asked, "Do you scream?"

She sucked in her breath, and he stepped back and opened the back door, climbing in the backseat, the promising smile back on his face, his eyes showing that he knew exactly what his question had done to her heart rate.


	5. Chapter 5

Brennan stared at the papers in front of her, but she didn't see them.

His question haunted her.

Did she? She didn't really know. She didn't think so. But then, Angela had always said that some men were better than others, more at tentative to the woman's needs.

What kind of lover was Booth?

An image of the smile flashed into her head, and she shivered slightly with anticipation. She'd never seen that smile before, that look.

And she would have sworn that she knew ALL his looks.

Apparently she had more to learn about Mr. Seeley Booth.

A wry grin touched her lips. There was nothing she enjoyed more than learning. And while she'd once boasted to him about being quite good in the sack, she now felt like an amateur. All of his silence had obviously not been because he was a prude.

Had he been so silent on the subject of his sex life because he thought she wouldn't be able to handle it? Him?

For that matter, could she now?

Her brain kept pointing out that had he talked to her like that, asked her that question, LOOKED at her like that five years ago, no- one year ago, she would have headed for the hills the first chance she got. Sure, she might have come back in six weeks or so, maybe.

But now her heart was pounding in her chest so loudly that she was sure Darlene could hear it from where she paced on the opposite side of the room.

She WAS ready for him now. She could do this. She WANTED to do this.

Because in her heart she knew the grand prize would be worth any pain, anything.

Booth for Life.

She reached for her pen and ripped a piece of paper from the blank notepad, hastily scribbling a line, a message to Booth.

She smiled as soon as she was done, and folded it, placing it in her pocket to slip to him later.

NOW she could concentrate.

And the first thing she had to do was figure out why Darlene was pacing.

"Darlene."

The woman jumped, and turned to look at her, a begging look on her face. "Am I doing the right thing?" She asked, wringing her hands together. "Maybe I should just leave it alone. I've managed, we've managed for thirteen years..."

"I already sent it away Darlene, Cam should be getting it tonight."

"I know." The look in her eyes begged for reassurance.

"I think you are doing the right thing. You should know, if only for medical health purposes." Brennan reasoned.

Darlene stopped pacing. "You're right. What if she gets sick? Something hereditary. I should know the possibilities."

"Exactly."

"Yes. You're right. This is the right thing." Darlene resolved, sitting down in her chair. "Now. Identification."

Brennan refocused on the paper in front of her. "This is interesting. The IDs we found in the Jeep, matches two of the corpses. But not the first two."

Darlene frowned, looking at her copy. "The first body, and the one with the laceration."

"Yes."

The door opened, and Booth and John strode in, bearing bags of takeout for lunch. "What's new?"

We've identified two sets of remains." Brennan said. "Charles Digby and Lawrence Bog."

"Which two are they?" John asked, opening a large brown paper bag and peering in.

"The gash on the head and the broken neck." Darlene supplied, chewing on the end of her pencil.

"Don't do that, you'll get lead poisoning." Booth chided her, taking a seat beside Brennan, making sure his leg brushed against hers, and his foot slid between hers as he sat.

Darlene pulled the chewed pencil away and looked at it in surprise.

"If that was true she'd be dead by now." John laughed. "She chewed all her pencils in school."

"Yes, but I haven't done that in years." She muttered, still gazing at the pencil. "Not since I started using pens."

"And one broke in your mouth?" Brennan guessed knowingly.

Darlene grinned. "You too?"

Brennan rolled her eyes and nodded.

The talk moved on to other subjects, more reading of reports, more phoning around to see if anyone had rented space to strangers, and at some point Brennan had slipped the folded up piece of paper into Booth's lap, under the table, making sure to brush against him in a way he couldn't miss.

He took the paper and opened it,

And then, for just a second, his breathing stopped.

"I will if you want me to."

CH For the hundredth time in the last hour, Booth reached into his pocket and caressed the small slip of paper scrawled with the words now etched in his mind for all time.

What a tantalising, teasing, thing to write.

It was perfect.

THE perfect response.

She'd levelled the playing field with that one, not only was he thinking about it, imagining it, but he was now also devising ways of making it happen as soon as possible.

Like right now, under the table.

Or five minutes from now, in the coat closet.

And she deserved so much better than that.. He shook his head slightly. The coat closet would have to wait.

Their first time needed to be special.

He was strong, he'd held back for years already, surely he could manage a few more days.

He checked his watch and sighed. Well, till the end of the day at least anyways. They did have a few murders to solve, which would help.

"Any luck on the white truck?" He asked.

Darlene looked up from the pathology test results Cam had faxed over. "Not enough to go on, I know of several people with white trucks that would fit that description."

"They're common up here." John agreed.

"So it's a dead end?" Booth frowned. He didn't like dead ends.

"No." John said, "It just means we have a large pool of suspects. Unless we can narrow it down to visitors in white pickups, but it's extremely likely that the truck was stolen, or borrowed."

"So where would people stay if they were visiting, or hiding out? The hotel is toast." Booth mused.

"Vacation cottages."

"Abandoned cabins."

"With family or friends."

"Why don't you just ask at the grocery store?" Brennan interrupted.

Three sets of eyes turned to the anthropologist, who was studying the un-identified set of skeletal remains again, checking for occupational markers.

"The grocery store." Booth nodded. "Because people have to eat." He gave a short laugh and walked over to her, tugging on her hair and dropping a kiss on the back of her neck as he headed for the door. "I'm on my way."

"Not without me." John said, following him out the door. "You're a stranger here too, they won't talk to you."

Brennan stared after them, feeling his kiss burning into the back of her neck, spreading heat throughout her body, making her brain take a mini-vacation.

"That was VERY partner-ly." Darlene teased.

Brennan nodded distractedly. "I think there may have been some developments in that area."

Darlene laughed. "You THINK?"

"My brain is being strangely silent on that front." Brennan blinked a few times to compartmentalize the feelings soaring through her body.

"Probably because it's a matter of the heart."

"Yes..Speaking of heart. In those missing persons reports, did anyone have a heart transplant?"

Darlene reached for the missing persons file and flipped through it quickly. "No."

"Then I suspect this male is Canadian. We need to get the Canadian files. THIS man, has had a heart transplant, sometime before the age of 20."

CH

Booth stared at her across the crowded room, a tiny smile on his face. This is how it should have been in the beginning, he thought.

Their eyes met, and she smiled back, her eyes calling him over to join them, as Darlene leaned across the table and whispered something in her ear, causing her to laugh with delight, her dark hair glinting as she threw back her head in hilarity.

He wasn't sure how Darlene had done it, but in a few short days she and Brennan had become something like childhood friends, and he was thankful to her for it.

Brennan hadn't had enough friends in childhood, and as an adult, they were even harder to come by, as he full knew.

Friends were hard to keep when you were the job.

Something hit his elbow, and he looked down to where it rested on the worn bar, surprised to see a moose posing on a coin, like the queen. His eyes travelled down the bar a few feet to see John's smirking face.

"Think we should go join them?" He asked, turning into a similar pose to Booth's, back to the bar, one elbow resting on it, the other hand wrapped around a beer bottle, gazing through the crowd at a table in the back, where two attractive women were sitting, enjoying a drink.

"Mark our territory?" Booth murmured jokingly.

John rolled his eyes. "Trying to get me killed man?" He said, wiggling his fingers, causing the lights to reflect off his gold wedding ring. "Besides, while the Doctor is most definitely yours... Dar's never been mine and never will be. Closest we'll ever be is family. And that's only if my brother get's his head out of his *ss."

Booth focused on her thoughtfully. "She's dating your brother?"

"No." John took a swig from his drink. "But she should be." His face flickered with sadness for a moment, then cleared. "But how about we join them anyway?"

Booth caught Brennan's eye again, and this time she tilted her head and patted the seat next to her, her smile making his pulse hum.

"Let's."

CH 


	6. Chapter 6

He slid into the seat beside her and she slid her hand into his lap, down his thigh, in a long, agonizingly slow motion, hidden by the table in front of them.

His jaw clenched, but he smiled at her, and his eyes promised that payback would be very, very sweet.

He slung his arm around her shoulders, his hand resting on her arm, his fingertips lazily plucking at her bra strap, making small circles on her collarbone.

She sighed and lifted her drink to her lips, a frothy pink concoction which tasted like cherry slurpee and orange juice.

"What's that?" He asked casually.

Brennan blushed. "Everlasting Love. Only with vodka instead of tequila."

"Which makes it a 'Sex on the Table'."Darlene smirked.

John looked at her dubiously, eying her blue drink. "And what's that one?"

"Poison Death." Darlene smiled, offering him a taste, which he took, making a sour face and blinking rapidly.

"Oof. I understand the poison reference now." He grimaced.

"It's good." She smiled, patting him on the arm. "It'll put hair on your chest."

He leaned back in his chair and slid his hand over his chest with a grin. "I don't need any more, but thanks."

Brennan's eyes slid to Booth without thought, focusing on his chest.

He bent his head and whispered, "Don't you say a word. Not ONE word. I'm highly evolved."

"A little too much." She whispered back, enjoying a momentary daydream involving Booth in a loin cloth, carrying her back to the cave.

She came back to reality to find Booth staring into her eyes with a smile on his face that said he knew EXACTLY what she was thinking about, and from the grip he had on her shoulder, she knew he was seriously considering it.

She stifled her smile and looked back at Darlene and John, who were checking out the drinks menu and laughing at the names.

"Ruby changes the names on the drinks once a month." John explained, catching Booths eye. "She likes to freshen the place up."

"Literally," Darlene smiled. "The new drink is called Febreezing."

Everyone laughed and nodded, smiling at each other, until a tall red head stopped at their table, her arms crossed across her chest.

"Having fun John?"

"What do you want Sharla?" He asked sourly, obviously knowing where this was going.

"I'd like to report a case of adultry." She said bitterly, glaring at Darlene.

"Why? Who are you sleeping with now?" He asked calmly.

She smirked and gave him a dirty look. "Wait till I talk to Christine." She spat out, and turned on her heel, striding away.

John shook his head slightly, staring into his drink. "Cow."

Darlene bit her lip uncertainly. "I'm sorry John."

"Why? You're just sitting here." He said calmy, shredding a napkin into little pieces. "We're colleagues, why shouldn't we have a drink together? And it's not as if we're alone, in the closet."

Booth raised his glass in a toast. "To Darlene's recent promotion to Coroner!"

They all raised their drinks and clinked, then took a sip.

Brennan leaned over and whispered in Darlene's ear, "Who was that?"

"John's sister in law." Darlene whispered back. "Gossip queen and town rhymes-with-witch."

"Ohhh." Brennan nodded. "Someone should tell her about VPL."

Darlene's shoulders shook with laughter and tears came to her eyes. "Thank you."

Brennan raised her glass again, and they drank.

CH

"I love you Booth." She whispered, brushing her lips against his as she climbed on top of him, her white nightie fluttering around her like butterflies, turning into butterflies, flying away, leaving her naked...

Booth's eyes fewl open and he stared up at the ceiling.

Butterflies?

The image stayed in his mind, the butterflies taking off to reveal her beauty, as if lifted by a night breeze...

A BREEZE!

He jumped out of bed and reached for his jeans, tugging them up as he silently headed for the door.

The air was colder, and it was moving.

He grabbed his gun off the dresser and peered out through the crack in the door.

The light was out.

He'd left it on.

He listened carefully, and heard a creak from the kitchen door below.

He had two choices. Go investigate. Or check on Brennan.

His feet chose Brennan, and he crept into her room, flicking the light switch on, not suprised when it didn't illuminate the room.

She was stretched out under the white duvet like a sleeping princess, her dark hair contrasting with the pillow, her creamy skin blending in.

He walked to the edge of the bed and bent over her, pressing his lips to her ear.

"Bones."

Her body went rigid and her eyes flew open, gazing into his with fear, and then as her brain woke up, something warmer, deeper, more alluring.

He'd have to investigate that later, he promised himself.

Her hand reached for him, and he caught her wrist tightly. "Bones. The power's been cut."

She sat up and looked at the window.

"But it's so light outside." She whispered.

"It's snowing. I think someone is in the house."

They listened carefully, but heard nothing.

"Did you check?"

"No, I wanted to make sure you were ok first. I don't know how long they've been here."

She nodded and rubbed her head slightly, wincing. While she had not had more than two drinks, they had been stronger than she first supposed, and combined with the lack of sleep she'd been getting the last month or so, tossing and turning all night, tied up with thoughts of Booth, and wondering if they would EVER become more than partners and friends... Then the flight up here, and the case.. Well, she'd fallen asleep in the taxi on the way to the cabin, and she dimly remembered Booth carrying her up the stairs and tucking her in, carefully.

Lovingly.

Chuckling when she protested that she wasn't really tired, telling her they'd talk in the morning.

Her eyes widened and she subtly felt under the duvet, checking to see if she was wearing anything besides her T-shirt.

"Don't worry." He whispered into her ear. "I only took off your jeans."

She didn't know whether to be thankfull or annoyed.

If she hadn't fallen asleep, maybe they would have...

"No." He whispered again, reading the expression on her face. "You're not ready for THAT yet." And then he chuckled, and she knew in the pit of her stomach that he was right.

There was a muffled thump downstairs, and Booth was at the door in a flash, motioning for her to hurry up and follow him.

She climbed out of bed and pulled on the sweatpants she'd slept in the previous night and left laying on the end of the bed.

Her next stop was her purse, and her gun.

Booth pushed the door open wider, and they crept down the stairs, guns drawn, nearly tripping over the bundle on the floor at the base of the stairs...

CH

The bundle moved slightly, a sort of shiver, and Booth stooped down to look at it, cautiously scanning the hall in front of them.

"What is it?" Brennan hissed.

"A dog." Booth whispered back, surprise evident in his voice. "A puppy."

He scooped it up and cradled it to his chest, continuing down the hall, checking each room.

Brennan followed behind, silently, admiring the way his jeans clung to his backside, and the way his arm curled the small dog to his chest.

Sure, they might be in danger, but a girl would have to be dead to not appreciate the sight of a bare chested, bare footed Booth... and the dog..

She could practically hear her biological clock ringing.

Room by room, they searched the house, finally ending up in the kitchen, staring at the closed kitchen door.

"Whoever was here..." Booth muttered, locking the door again, "They're gone now."

The breaker box was open, and Booth hit the switch, bathing the room in a golden glow from a nightlight.

Brennan frowned. "Booth, the oven just turned on."

He turned to face her, and she gasped.

"What?"

"Booth! The dog is half frozen!"

"Yah." He rubbed the small animals head comfortingly, reaching for a tea towel to wrap it in. "His heartbeat is good though, I think he'll be fine."

CH

Brennan sat in a kitchen chair, holding the tiny puppy wrapped in a blanket, staring at the stove.

"Booth. Why would they turn the oven on? Why would they break in, and leave nothing but a small puppy behind?"

"I don't think they left the dog Bones. I think it took advantage of the open door." He reached for the stove and pressed a button.

The inside of the oven lit up from within, and Booth crouched, staring through the window.

"Well, someone left us a present."

Brennan went still. "What?"

"A head, eating an apple."

"WHAT?"

"Like a pig, you know?"

"Appetising. I'm so glad I'm vegetarian. I'm going to have to bleach the oven now." She wrinkled her face in disgust.

Booth stood up and turned the oven light off. "I think I'm going to phone John, he'll want to know about this."

"It's three in the morning Booth."

"We have a decapitated head in the oven."

Brennan held the dog up and cooed at it. "And a puppy. I'm going to name it Neige."

"Snow? That's original. It probably has a name Bones. It probably belonged to the headless wonder. Call it Clue."

"Clue?"

"Yeah." Booth said, picking up the phone and dialing John. "Because that's what it is." 


	7. Chapter 7

He hung up the phone and stared at her, taking in her sleep mussed hair, and the way her eyelids were drooping.

"He'll be here in half an hour. How about some coffee?"

She stood up slowly, placing the dog on the floor in front of the wood stove, which was still throwing out heat from when Booth had added logs before going to bed.

The blanket wrapped puppy wiggled, then settled down, soaking up the heat.

"I'll make it." She said, turning around, bumping into his chest.

Warm arms closed around her and his mouth descended onto hers in a quick kiss.

"The puppy will be fine." He whispered. "Are you remembering Ripley?"

She stared up at him, stunned by the kiss, and then her eyes dropped to his lips, and she licked her own.

"Not anymore."

"Bones.."

She reached up and pulled his head to hers, her lips against his, and then their tongues touched, and he tightened his arms and pressed closer, nearly bending her backwards.

Her hands were on his face, in his hair, running down his torso, clinging, grasping, groping...

He moved his lips to her throat and forced himself to slow down, to calm down, "John's coming." He whispered against her neck in between nips and kisses.

"A bit longer and I might too." She moaned into his neck, biting at his earlobe.

His brain fritzed, and he returned to her mouth, picking her up and setting her on the kitchen counter, one hand in her hair, the other up her shirt, standing in between her knees, leaning into her...

She clung to him, he was intoxicating, she was on fire and she wanted nothing more to be closer, as close to him as she could possibly get.

"Do we have time?" She whispered, her hands on the snap of his jeans.

He rested his head against hers and breathed shakily. "No. He'll be here any second."

She kissed him again, and just when he thinking that maybe, there might be time, there was a pounding on the back door.

He pulled his head away and stared into her eyes, his chest heaving. "Tonight."

She nodded, and leaned her head back against the cabinets, struggling to calm herself. "Tonight."

CH John opened the oven door and peeked inside. "Well. Thats interesting."

"The head?" Booth raised an eyebrow.

"That's Barry Dwight. Or part of him anyways."

Brennan hopped down of the counter. "You know him?"

"Sure, small time drug dealer. Everybody knows Barry. He's even got a white truck."

"You didn't think to mention that before?" Booth said crankily.

"He's not really smart enough to be a killer." John replied. "I bet it was a drug deal gone wrong, the guy with the gash in the forehead was driving the jeep, crashed into the snowbank, got out, walked away, somehow got to Barry's and died. Probably him or the one who shot himself in the freezer killed the other two. I imagine Barry freaked out and shut him in the freezer when the oppourtunity presented itself."

"Just like that." Brennan said.

John shrugged. "Pretty easy to do."

Booth nodded. "Still two questions... Who killed Barry? And where did the dog come from?"

"Dog?" John asked, a weird look on his face.

"Over there," Brennan pointed.

John walked over and pulled back the blanket. "That's not a dog. That's a wolf pup."

"What?"

"It's a wolf. A little one yes, but he'll get bigger. I'll take him to Penny's."

"Penny?" Brennan said, looking a little lost.

"Next door. She's a wildlife medic. Has a female wolf who comes back once in a while with her pups. It's probably one of hers. He'll be back with his mother in a jiffy if she's alive." He scooped up the dog and headed for the door. "I'll be back for Barry in a few minutes."

Booth and Brennan watched him leave in silence.

"Did he mention who killed Barry?" Brennan asked.

"No, but he knows." Booth scowled.

"You know..." Brennan whispered, cuddling up to Booth. "You never did answer my response."

"What response?" He asked, his heart rate picking up.

"Would you like me to scream?" She smiled seductively.

He sucked in his breath and stared deep into her eyes. "Only if it's my name that you're screaming." He said softly, remembering the feeling of her hands on the snap of his jeans.

She smirked and hooked her finger through his belt loop. "There is more than one way to make a girl scream you know..."

His mouth felt dry. "I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

The kitchen door opened, and John breezed back in, a plastic bag in one hand, intent on getting Barry's head out of the oven. "Are you guys coming or what? Darlene is meeting us at the Diner. There has been a development."

Booth nodded, and smiled ruefully at Brennan, saying something about needing to go fetch a shirt and his shoes.

She stared into his eyes, and she knew that Angela was right. Booth would be an excellent lover. Now if she could just get him to stop playing it safe...

CH They met in the diner, at what they were beginning to think of as their table, the one in the back, the one Booth had originally sat at, and ordered coffee.

Darlene was sitting across from Brennan, and it was obvious she hadn't slept well.

"Have you heard yet?" She asked Brennan, keeping her eyes firmly on the mug of steaming hot coffee she held in both hands.

"The test?" Brennan guessed. "No. I'll check my email though, Cam should have got the results by now, with the time change."

"What test?" Booth questioned, adding four packets of sugar to his coffee.

Darlene just shook her head. "So.. My dad got woke up real early this morning too, old Barney nearly knocked the door down to confess."

"Confess?" Booth and Brennan both stared.

"Yeah. I guess Barry was upset, and most likely high, but he told Barney all about it. Barney used to be a butcher." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Continue." Brennan said.

"Barney really loves this town, he got a little mad that Barry brought a murderer into it, and because Barney usually has to clean up the messes Barry gets into, he cleaned up this one too. Turns out, Barney has cancer. Doesn't think he's going to make it. So he chopped of Barry's head, took it to you, and then went over to Dad's to turn himself in."

"Problem solved." Booth said doubtfully.

Darlene shrugged. "He's Seventy four years old, I guess it made sense to him."

"And he brought it to us because?"

"You're the bone people."

"And it was in the oven because?"

"He wanted to put it in the fridge, but didn't think that would be very sanitary, and the idea of it on the kitchen table just seemed wrong, so he put it in the oven and turned it on, figuring the smell of something cooking would wake you up." Darlene smiled a bit. "The apple was just a decorative touch."

"He's nuts." Booth announced.

"Actually." Brennan said thoughtfully. "It was very logical of him." She pressed a few buttons on her phone and then handed it over to Darlene. "The results."

Darlene looked at them and sighed. "Crap. Oh well. I guess I'll have to tell him now."

"Think he'll take it well?" Brennan asked.

"I don't know. It'll be a shock for sure."

"Tell WHO WHAT?" Booth asked in a cranky tone.

"Yeah." John said, sliding into his chair beside Darlene. "Tell who, what?"

Darlene smiled ruefully. "Well. Roughly fourteen years ago, my boyfriend Eric died in an avalanche." She began.

"Allanah's dad." John explained, to Booth.

Darlene continued. "The following night, in a fit of despair and loneliness, I consoled myself with someone else. A friend, who was also torn up about Eric's death. It turned out to be the best sex I've ever had in my whole life." She took another sip of her coffee. "So imagine my surprise when I mentioned it a few weeks later, and he didn't know anything about it. Had in fact, spent most of that night in the bathroom acting out the part of Prince Ralph." She cast a dirty look at the man beside her, who was looking slightly pale. "It turns out his IDENTICAL twin brother, his MARRIED twin brother, had impersonated him. Obviously, he wasn't as drunk as I thought he was...I let it go, because as I said, he was and is, married. And his brother kept his secret. BUT, recently... some things about Allanah have been bothering me... And I asked Brennan to run a paternity test. Eric... Was unfortunately, not Allanah's dad." She stared down at her drink.

"You.. knew?" John whispered dazedly.

"What? That YOU are a dirty liar? For years.. I just never thought it might matter to my daughter.." She stood up, and tossed down a toonie for the coffee and left, shaking her head.

"I'm... Wait..." John jumped up and ran after her.

A man across the room, who had been sitting with his back to them, got up and came over, and put a toonie on the table. "I'll get John's coffee." He said, smiling down at them ruefully. "He'll pay me back later. His wife ran off with the groom at that wedding she went to, we found out last night."

Booth stared up at him silently.

"Wow." Brennan said, "You two really ARE identical."

He smiled slightly. "For better or for worse.. The only identical twins in town." He picked up John's mug and drank the rest of the coffee in it. "He's been in love with her since we were seven you know."

"His wife?" Booth said doubtfully.

"Darlene." He put the mug back down on the table. "But she left for so long.. He moved on. At least now he knows why I've refused to date her for all these years. Who wants to be with a woman who's in love with your brother? Anyways, nice meeting you two."

He walked away whistling, out the doors into the early morning light. 


	8. Chapter 8

The cab ride back to the cabin was silent, both of them thinking about the past few days, Darlene and John, and the case... But mostly, both of them thinking about this morning, in the kitchen.

How to get back to that.

Booth slid his eyes towards Brennan, and noticed the tiny smile on her faze as she gazed out the window. He doubted she was seeing the snowy landscape they were moving through. He reached over and took her hand, rubbing his thumb against her wrist.

Her fingers intertwined with his, and he knew it would be alright.

They reached the cabin and paid for their ride, then trudged up the steps together, and into the living room, where they took off their coats and boots.

"I guess we should get packing." Booth said finally.

Brennan smiled and licked her lips. "Next flight out is tomorrow." She said suggestively.

"Tomorrow.." He stared at her mouth hungrily. "What are we going to do till then?"

She ran her eyes down his body, and watched his shoulders twitch in response. "I was hoping you might have an idea or two."

The corner of his mouth tilted into a smile that promised sex beyond her wildest dreams. "Well.." He tilted his head towards her.."We could always pretend that we're trapped in a house that is about to explode..." He murmured, running his finger along her jaw slowly, his eyes searching hers.

Every nerve in her body hummed, every neuron in her brain lit up like the first of July.

Her eyes darkened into bottomless pools that sucked him in like quicksand.

She stepped backwards, away from him, slowly walking backwards towards the stairs, her eyes never breaking contact with his.

"Think you can make me scream?" She whispered.

He stepped towards her, his eyes deadly serious. "Every night for the rest of your life, if you'll let me.."

She raised her eyebrows tauntingly, feeling the stairs against the back of her calves. "Promises, promises...And here I thought you were a take charge kind of guy."

She stopped, at the bottom of the stairs, and watched him come closer, until at last they were chest to chest, and she could feel his hands sliding around her waist, dropping to her hips, lower.

"I like to wait for just the right...moment." He replied, bending his head and claiming her mouth with a possessiveness that surprised her, and excited her, and told her that somehow, this was all part of a plan that he'd conjured up long ago.

And then his tongue touched hers...

They scrambled up the steps, clinging together, half falling, stopping every few steps to press against the wall and mutter or moan and pull off an article of clothing, till somehow they reached the top of the stairs, their mouths still fused together.

He scooped her into his arms and carried her over to her bed, laying her down on the white duvet.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered, kissing a trail down her shoulder, her rib cage, her stomach.

"Booth." She sighed, reaching for him, pulling him up by his hair. "Let's play that game later... I've got a better idea."

"Oh yeah?" He raised his eyebrow and smirked. "What's that?"

She whispered something in his ear, and his hand convulsed on her thigh.

When he spoke, his voice was pure sexual rawness... "God I love you."

CH

She stared into his passion filled eyes and felt time stop. "You love me?"

He brushed her hair back from her forehead and pressed his lips to her jaw a featherlight kiss. "Yes...I think about you all the time... And then I think about doing this.." He moved his mouth to her collar bone, and she whimpered.

"Isn't that lust?" She whispered, her hands sliding up his neck to cup his face.

"It's both." He looked into her eyes. "The way it should be."

Her eyes searched his, and what she saw there chased the last of her fears away. "I feel the same." She whispered, knowing that the feeling in her heart right at this moment... All the pain in the world would never make her forget it... Or regret it. "I love you Booth."

He read the truth in her eyes and shuddered as a wave of emotion, and relief swept through him.

He leaned over her, resting on his elbow. "Shall I prove it to you?"

A cat like smile appeared. "I absolutely insist."

He took her mouth in a soul searing kiss, his tongue meating hers, his teeth nipping at her lower lips until they were swollen and tender, while his hands touched and teased and at last he possessed her.

She arched her back he entered, luxouriating in the way their bodies fit together perfectly, as if they were made to, like puzzle pieces. As if she were created just for him.

They surged together, letting out years of pent up emotion and longing, untill at last they clung together, breathing heavy, still hearing the reverberations of her scream echo in the rafters, his hand tracing lazy patterns up her side, hers touching his face, the face of the man she'd wanted for so long, memorizing it, storing this moment away to cherish later.

He pressed his forehead to hers, his eyes shut. "I think I dreamed about you long before I ever met you...Probably since the day you were born."

"You were only five Booth, I doubt you remember what you dreamt about then." She pointed out softly, with a tender smile.

He just smiled.

"It was perfect Booth." She whispered. "It's everything you promised it would be."

"Of course it is... It's love. True love, Bones."

"Promise me something...?"

"Anything..."

"Never call me Temperance... I feel like a special secret when you call me Bones. I only want to be your Bones.."

He laughed into her hair. "Agreed."

"And Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"Roll over, I can't breath."

They sat on the airplane, side by side, hand in hand, thinking about the future.

"Have you heard from Darlene?" Booth asked casually.

"Yes. She's fine. John is getting divorced, and he thinks he'll get custody of his kids, because his wife left them at her mom's insted of taking them with her."

"Are they going to give it a go?"

"She doesn't know. She's going to let Allanah spend some time with him, get to know him, and of course, as the coroner, she'll be working with him. She doesn't seem to be too worried about it." Brennan shrugged.

Booth lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. "Whatever will be, will be."

"Yes."

He smiled. "Speaking of what will be..."

Brennan looked at him questioningly.

"Who is picking us up from the airport?"

"Angela."

Booth nodded slowly, a grin forming on his face. "Good. She'll be the first to know."

"She knows already." Brennan smiled smugly. "I told her over the phone."

"Why?"

"I find her shrieks much less ear-splitting over the phone."

"Ahhh, that's my Bones. Always thinking ahead." He smiled at her and settled into his seat, closing his eyes, until...

"CRAP!"

Brennan looked at him in alarm. "What?"

"I didn't go watch a hockey game!"


End file.
